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Plans for West Ridge Addition phase seven are firming up, just a week after the City Commission approved the neighboring Thaniel Addition.

The entire West Ridge proposal includes phases 7-11 for a total of 171 single-family homes on about 58 acres north of 40th Avenue Northeast, between 2nd and 4th streets northeast.

The final plat for phase seven was approved by the city planning advisory board Tuesday afternoon, with no area residents in attendance.

Phase seven includes 38 houses on about 12 acres and will include installation of 41st Street Northeast from 4th Street Northeast to the property boundary with Thaniel.

Thaniel includes 88 single-family homes, including 60 for the self-help build program through NeighborWorks Great Falls. Neighbors objected to the project with issues of traffic, public safety, utilities and the possible impact on property values.

The West Ridge project is being developed by S&L Development which also developed West Ridge phase six, which is directly south of the current proposed phase.

The planning board voted 6-0 to recommend annexation, final plats and R-3 single-family high density zoning.

According to the staff report, Neighborhood Council 3 voted to support the West Ridge project.

The lot sizes ranges from 9,771 square feet and 11,801 square feet, which is similar to phase six, according to the staff report.

The West Ridge Additional phase 7-11 goes before the City Commission on Aug. 18 for annexation and zoning approval.

S&L developers are working with Ken Cox, the Thaniel developer, to pay for transportation, storm water, park studies and master plans.

A new lift station to support sewer lines in the area is also planned and the city approved a design contract last fall.

Nate Weisenburger, planning board chair, asked about when other collector roads might be built and City Planner Galen Amy said the planned transportation study in that area would help assess the timeline and priorities for road projects.

She added that 36th Avenue Northeast is designed as a collector road and is designed to handle increased traffic.

“It’s nowhere near handling what it was designed for,” she said.

Leanne Bailly, of S&L Development, said that she lives on 37th Avenue Northeast and has been watching the traffic in the area since residents said it was among their chief concerns related to Thaniel.

“I live with the traffic, and I’m sorry, it’s not a big deal,” she said during the meeting.

Planning Board member Mark Striepe said he’s been driving the northern edge of town to get a better idea of the traffic problems the city has been hearing about.

“I don’t think it’s as bad as some public comment would lead us to believe,” he said.

Weisenburger said that with the Long Range Transportation Plan and other upcoming transportation studies, “I think we’re headed in the right direction to address those things.”